Immobilizer reset and immo off files

What is immobilizer and immo off files? The immobilizer is a theft protect system and it is located in the instrument cluster of main car computer, with radio frequency identification (RFID), transponder chip in the smart key, and with antenna at the ignition cylinder. You can’t do an immobilizer bypass with standard tools, must be special tool for immobiliser reset. If your car is 1999 or older and sold in North America, it should not have an immobilizer. If your car has the yellow car or key symbol on the instrument cluster when you turn the key to “ON”, (shown activated below), then it has an immobilizer. This light comes turn on for a second but quickly goes off when turning the car on and all is normal. If it stays turned on, you have an issue.

If you plan to buying or programming a new key, you must use a key which corresponds to the same generation of immobilizers and keyless entry type and sync it to the immobilizer. For example, Audi have the same immobilizer systems but in different generations than VW so the same general procedures apply.

The main symptom of the activated immobilizer or faulty system is that the engine shuts off after a second or the yellow key/car symbol on the dashboard flashes. If immobilizer become active often, that may be caused because of a very low car battery or car battery removal.

The immobilizer chip have a range from: 1″ through plastic and about 3″ when it is out of the key or bare chip. The car computer constantly monitors is it the chip correct or not, and it won’t shut off the engine after the first few seconds of the engine starting. If you want to be careful, do not let the key get exposed to strong microwaves. Standing close to a microwave will not do anything but if you put the key into a microwave that will damage the chip. Nice thing about the immobilizer is that if your key is stolen or lost, having the keys reset by the dealer or someone with the correct key matching tools will prevent the lost key from working the car as normal. After the resetting keys, old metal key can still open the doors and start the engine but the immobilizer will not let the engine run for more than 1 second. Because of this, when you reset the car immobilizer, all keys must be present or the old ones will not work as intended anymore.

Immobilizer reset is known as immo off, too. Many people who working diagnosis and immo reset, use ready-made immo off files (dumps) and quickly solve your immobilizer problem.